Sensex succumbs to profit-booking, down 58 pts

In a volatile session, the BSE benchmark Sensex on Thursday fell by nearly 58 points to 31,213 on profit-booking in recent gainers by investors, who maintained a cautious stance ahead of UK polls and the ECB meeting.

Moreover, the domestic market sentiment was hit by the Reserve Bank pegging GDP growth for the current fiscal lower at 7.3 per cent and saying that rush for farm loan waivers may have inflationary spillovers.

The 30-share index resumed higher at 31,316.91 and hovered in a range of 31,354.51 and 31,193.77 before settling at 31,213.36, showing a loss of 57.92 points, or 0.19 per cent.

The gauge had gained 80.72 points in the previous session on better monsoon forecast and the status quo on policy rates by the RBI yesterday.

The NSE 50-share Nifty also down 16.65 points or 0.17 per cent to 9,647.25, after shuttling between 9,688.70 and 9,641.50.

Mixed trend in overseas markets as investors await Britain's election result and ECB's policy meeting and testimony from sacked FBI head James Comey on his probe into Donald Trump's links to Russia also influenced sentiment, brokers said.

Sector-wise, the BSE oil and gas was hit the most and fell 1.38 per cent, followed by IT 1.33 per cent, teck 1.19 per cent, PSU 0.60 per cent, consumer durables 0.58 per cent, capital goods 0.36 per cent, realty 0.21 per cent, FMCG 0.19 per cent and banking 0.15 per cent.

In 30-share Sensex, TCS dipped the most by plunging 3.59 per cent to Rs 2,521.50 after brokerage firm Nomura cut its rating to 'reduce' from 'neutral'. Infosys too shed 0.54 per cent to Rs 956.30, while Wipro lost 0.06 per cent to Rs 548.50.